Egg-case.



. No. 860,496. PATENTBD JULY 16, 1907.

0. M. REED.

EGG CASE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1906.

INVENTOI? I ATTORNEYS CHARLES MREED CHARLES MILTON REED,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF MOUNTAIN VIEW, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

EGe-eAsE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed May 29,1906. Serial No. 319,261.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES MILTON REED, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mountain View, in the county of Kiowa and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented an Improvement in Egg-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in portable cases or boxes for holding and storing eggs, the same being particularly adapted for the use of farmers and Storekeepers. The details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts are as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved egg 1 case closed, a portion being broken away to show the arrangement of a catch. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the egg case open. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views showing details. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

The body A of the egg case is rectangular, preferably cubical, and provided with a hinged top lid B and a hinged side 0, the same being shown closed in Fig. 1 and open in Fig. 2. When the side 0 is open it lies in alinement or in the same plane with the true bottom of thecase. The side 0 is provided with a locking device constructed as follows. A stout spring wire is bent at the middle of its length to form an elongated loop D, see Fig. 4, and extended from the base of the loop in opposite directions as indicated in Fig. 1, and then bent twice at right angles. The said loop is also bent twice at right angles to adapt it to form a catch. The lateral extensions of the fastening are indicated by D, the side or firstbends by D and the extremities by D The latter project inward toward the sides of the box, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and are adapted to enter notches E formed in side cleats E attached to the body of the case near the top thereof. When the cover B is closed as shown in Fig. 1 its side flanges b fit close upon the cleats E as will be readily understood, so that the catches D cannot escape from the notches E. The central loop or tongue D is arranged in a slot or notchc formed in the outer edge of the hinged side 0, and a c leat, or guard strip 0, is applied to the side 0 exteriorly to cover or inclose the fastening save the central and end portions thereof.

The operation or manner of manipulating the fastening is as follows. Supposing the cover B to be raised as shown in Fig. 2, the side 0 is raised to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 and the loop D pushed in- Ward so as to turn the side portions D in a manner to throw the catches D downward into the notches E in the side cleats E. Then the cover or lid B is turned down and the beveled or rearward inclination of the outer extremity d of the loop D will enter and pass through the hole e in said cover, and then swing backward and engage the front edge I) of the cover as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, thus securing the cover and also holding the catches D duly engaged with the notches E, or in other words, securely closing the case. This spring action of the loop D is due mainly to the fact that when the catches D enter the notches E the loop is thrown backward or at a rearward inclination, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the loop cannot pass through the hole in the cover without torsion of the lateral portions D of the fastening. In other words, the bent end portions D serve as spring arms tending to throw the loop D outward, and the same bends inward in passing through the hole I) in the cover B simply by resiliency or spring action of the fastening as a whole. It is apparent that by pressing inward against the upper end of the loop D it may be disengaged from the front part b of the cover B so that the latter may be raised as required to open the case. The first step in closing the hinged side G is to adjust the fastening in such position that the catches D will ride easily over the corners of the cleats E and thus enter the notches E. The loop D must for this purpose be adjusted in a vertical position, since otherwise the end bends D of the fastening would not project upward at the required angle and the catches D would in such case strike against the ends of the cleats E instead of passing over them as required. In order to hold the fastening in s'iich position, that is to say, with the loop D parallel to the plane of the hinged side 0, I provide a friction device consisting of a wedge F, see especially Figs. 4 and 5, the same having a screw shank which permits it to be readily inserted in due position at the bottom of the slot 0, see Fig. 3. The opposite spring members of the loop D tend to close against each other, but are prevented by the interposed wedge F. It will be seen, however, that the friction with the wedge is greatest when the loop is adjusted in the same plane with the side 0, since the spring members of the loop are then opposite the widest portion of the wedge. Hence, when the loop D is forced back into the position indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the friction of its spring members with the wedge is suflicient to hold it in that position and thus the catches D are supported at the angle required to enable them to ride over the corners of the cleat E. Thus, by first adjusting the loop D in the same plane with the side 0 the latter may be closed instantly and 'without difficulty and then by throwing down the lid or cover B it automatically engages the inclined head d of the loop D and is secured as before described and as indicated in Figs. 1, 3.

In Fig. 2 the case or box is shown nearly filled with a series of egg holders, or egg fillers, X, each being constructed, in the usual manner, of strips of paste board having transverse slits and fitted together in such manner as to form a series of rows of egg pockets, each pocket being adapted to contain an egg. A pasteboard plate or partition is interposed between shown and described.

each two of the egg holders, or fillers, X. The adapta- 1 tion of the side 0 to be thrown down as indicated in Fig. 2, renders the several egg holders easily accessible so that they may be successively removed in less time than would be required if the case were, constructed in the usual manner.

What I claim is I v v;

1. The improved eggcase comprising a box having three rigid sides, the two opposite sides having notches E, a fourth side which is hinged at the bottom, and a hinged cover provided with an opening near its free edge, the hinged side having an automatic spring fastening formed of spring wire whose central portion projects upward and is curved to form a catch adapted to project through the opening in the cover and engage the latter when closed, side extensions D of the fastening, and end portions bent at a right angle to the parts D and terminating in catches D, the central portion .of the fastening being arranged at an angle to the end portions, whereby, when the cover is closed, the three catches are engaged, thus locking both the hinged cover and the hinged side, as

-2. The improved egg case comprising a box having three rigid sides and a hinged cover and side, cleats applied to. the opposite side of the box and provided with notches in their upper sides, :1 spring fastening applied to the hinged side, comprising a central catch and end catches connected therewith and adapted to engage the aforesaid notches, the cover being adapted to close over the end catches when so engaged and to lock with the central one, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with an egg case comprising a rigid body having an open side and top, a hinged side and CHARLES MILTON REED.

Witnesses CLAUDE Mnnim, HORACE Cnrnnn. 

